1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus equipped with a cutting function.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, ink jet recording apparatuses are equipped with an ink head for ejecting ink curable upon irradiation of ultraviolet light, referred to as “ultraviolet light curable ink,” and an ultraviolet light irradiation device for irradiating ultraviolet light to ultraviolet light curable ink ejected onto recording medium, such as recording paper. The ink head and the ultraviolet light irradiation device are provided inside an apparatus casing. Irradiation of ultraviolet light by the ultraviolet light irradiation device is performed within the apparatus casing.
The ink jet recording apparatus equipped with the ultraviolet light irradiation device should prevent exposure of the ultraviolet light from the apparatus casing. The ink jet recording apparatus described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2008-100493 is equipped with a guide for guiding the recording medium in a forwardly diagonally downward direction after printing. The ink jet recording apparatus described above is used for printing on soft recording medium such as paper, and the recording medium is discharged from the platen after printing while being curved along the guide. The guide extends in a forwardly diagonally downward direction from the apparatus casing. Therefore, ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet light irradiation apparatus and travelling in a forward direction is blocked by the guide and is not exposed from the apparatus casing.
Along with diversification of recording media in recent years, printing on recording media composed of hard material, such as glass or metal, by an ink jet recording apparatus has increased in volume. There are difficulties in printing on a hard recording medium, such that it is difficult to discharge the recording medium after printing while being curved along the guide described above. In other words, it is difficult to change the orientation of the transfer path of the recording medium from a horizontal direction to a diagonally downward direction. Accordingly, the guide described above cannot be used, and external leakage of ultraviolet light cannot be prevented by the guide described above.
The present invention has been made in view of the problem described above, and its object is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus that is capable of properly preventing external leakage of ultraviolet light, and is applicable to recording media composed of hard material such as glass and the like.
In accordance with the invention, an ink jet recording apparatus that appropriately prevents external leakage of ultraviolet light and is applicable to recording media composed of hard material, such as a glass plate, can be obtained.